Improvement in tanning



UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIc-E.

CHURCH BURTON, OF UNION, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TANNING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,446, dated February 21, 1865.

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHURCH BURTON, of Union, in the county of Knox and State of Maine, have invented a new and improved mode of tanning all kinds of hides and skins to leather by the use of a compound for tanning composed of different materials from any heretofore used for that purpose; and I do hereby declare that the lollowingis a full and exact description of said compound, how it is made, and how used in tanning.

Take equal parts of green fir and spruce boughs, put the boughs into a vat, and put water enough in to (30"01 the boughs, and let the whole steep, not boil, eight hours; then cleanse the liquid and letit cool, audit is then ready for use in tanning. Said liquid or compound thus formed is to be put into vats and the hides or skins put into the same and kept covered with said liquid and handled and kept in said liquor till tanned; to be kept'in said liquor about the same time and handled in the same manner while tanning as by the old mode of tanning with hemlock or oakibark.

The leather thus tanned is stronger and more durable and in every other particular equal to leather tanned in any other mode.

The materials of which said liquid is formed are veryabundantin manyparts of the United \Vit ness L. W. HOMER. 

